Lightning Reassign Dureau, MacArthur; Crunch Loan Massicotte, Fitzpatrick to Solar Bears

Thursday, October 12th

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Solar Bears announced the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning have reassigned forwards Bennett MacArthur and Jaydon Dureau from the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League to the Solar Bears. Additionally, the Syracuse Crunch have loaned defenseman Zachary Massicotte and goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick to the Solar Bears.

MacArthur, 22, appeared in 53 games this season for the Solar Bears, scoring 28 points (10g-18a). Prior to his professional career, the Summerside, Prince Edward Island native skated in 120 career QMJHL games, all with Acadie-Bathurst, scoring 78 goals and 51 assists.

MacArthur signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 1, 2022.

Dureau, 22, appeared in 36 games this season for the Solar Bears, scoring six goals and 13 assists. Dureau skated in 13 AHL games for the Crunch this season, earning one goal and one assist. Prior to his professional career, the White City, Saskatchewan native played in 207 games in the Western Hockey League for the Portland Winterhawks, scoring 196 points on 65 goals and 131 assists.

Dureau was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the fifth round, 147th overall, at the 2020 NHL Draft.

Massicotte, 22, played in 57 games for the Allen Americans last season, scoring 19 points (6g-13a) The Shawinigan, Quebec native also appeared in four AHL games with the Belleville Senators. Prior to his professional career, Massicotte played 220 games in the QMJHL, scoring 70 points (16g-54a). During the 2021-22 season, Massicotte won the QMJHL Championship and appeared in the CHL Memorial Cup for the Shawinigan Cataractes.

Fitzpatrick, 25, spent the majority of last season with the Florida Everblades, appearing in 17 games for the defending Kelly Cup Champions. Fitzpatrick owned a record of 11-3-1 last season in the ECHL, with a 2.41 goals against average and a .920 save percentage. In all, the former second round pick of the St. Louis Blues in 2016 has played 78 career games in the ECHL and 13 career games in the AHL, posting a record of 40-32-8.